Munch with Music - October 2026

The next Munch with Music will be held in the church on 7th October 2026 featuring Anthony Wilson on the church organ.

You are invited to bring your own ‘Munch’.

Admission is free, donations are welcome.

Coffee, tea and biscuits from 12:15pm, with the performance starting at 12:45pm and lasting about 45 minutes.

The following Munch will be on 4th Novemberber 2026, with Musicians from Trinity Laban.

Pet Blessings!

An informal, short service to celebrate the animals in our lives. All ages and species welcome.

Sunday 4 October at 10am in the church.

Forest Church explored bugs

Forest Church at St Johns last Saturday (1 August) explored bugs.

A time to celebrate God's creation.

Forest Church Dates for Summer 2026

All sessions are free, on Saturdays at 3pm, at Caterham School Pre-Prep Outdoor Learning
Area, which is next to the pre-prep car park.

• 1st August: BUGS & the little details of God's creation
• 29th August: Footprints & Next Steps

Jane Faulkner on violin and Esther Cavett on piano Munch with Music 1 July 2026

A reflective programme with a variety of pieces, in style and length.

The programme of music was:

A. Corelli: Giga from the Trio Sonata, Op5/3
H Skempton: a selection of short piano pieces, introduced by the performer.
W A Mozart: Piano and Violin Sonata, E minor, K304, Allegro, Tempo de Minuetto.
J. Brahms: Violin and Piano Sonata, D minor, op108. Allegro. Adagio, Un poco presto e con sentiment, Presto agitato.

Greatly appreciated by the audience, it seems certain that Jane and Esther will be back at St John's as soon as is convenient.

Bible Study, Summer 2026

Bible Study Home Groups

Sundays after Church Coffee in the Church Hall, 28 June - 2 August

An introduction to Mark's Gospel over 6 weeks. Each session lasts approximately an hour and you do not need prior knowledge of the Bible.

Home Groups will be back in November for our next series after this one.

Munch with Music - July 2026

The next Munch with Music will be held in the church on 1st July 2026 featuring Jane Falkner on violin and Esther Cavett on piano.

You are invited to bring your own ‘Munch’.

Admission is free, donations are welcome.

Coffee, tea and biscuits from 12:15pm, with the performance starting at 12:45pm and lasting about 45 minutes.

The following Munch will be on 7th October 2026, with the North Downs Consort.

INDIG+O - Munch with Music - 3 June 2026

Since INDIG+O last visit to St John's there has been a considerable change in the line up which now is:

Linda: Recorders
Liz: Violin
Penelope: Recorders
Samuel: Acoustic Bass Guitar and Ukelele
Philip: Bouzouki, Hurdy-Gurdy, Concertina and others

The programme of music was:

Planxty Fanny Power / John O’Connor. Written by Turlough O'Carolan, 1670–1738. Ireland.
The Pride of Petravore (or Eileen Oge) / Drowsy Maggie. Collison / Traditional, Ireland. William Alexander Houston Collisson (20/5/1865–31/1/1920) was an Anglo-Irish priest, writer, impresario, composer, pianist & organist. Pride of Petravore was pub. posthumously in 1939.
The Lass of Peaty’s Mill. From ‘Orpheus Caledonius’ published 1725 by William Thomson, (fl. 1695–1753), editor of the first collection of Scottish folk songs published together with their melodies.
Zeytuni Zar. Written by Arto Tuncbayaciyan, 2019; Armenian/American, born Istanbul 4/8/1957.
Thezhustalazurang Bryshtamorogista. Philip Burry, 2025.
In Seculum Artifex. Anon., Mediaeval motet, 13th Century.
Bourées: Bourée Carrée de La Chatre & Bourée des Dindes / Kolomtanz. (All traditional; the Bourées are both from Central France, Kolomtanz from the Netherlands.)
Cartoline dell’Italia. (Postcards from Italy), 2006. Written by Zach Condon, (American), leader of ‘Beirut, a gulag orchestra’.
Quatre Branles. Tielman Susato, (1510/15 to 1570) from the ‘Danserye’, published 1551 in Antwerp.
The ‘House of Eliott’ Theme. Written by Jim Parker for the BBC T.V. series ‘The House of Eliott’.
Douce Dame Joli. Virelai by Guillaume de Machaut, French, c.1310–1377.
Leftbank Two. 1963, Wayne Hill, of the Noveltones, Netherlands.

Evocative, nostalgic, wistful, joyous and varied, it seems that though INDIG+O changes, it pretty much stays wonderfully the same (with a bit of inter-generational banter thrown in).

From the numbers who went forward to speak and inspect the instruments, it's obvious that the harmonious relationship between the group and St John's is highly enjoyed and needs to be renewed in the future.

Felix Ottaway O' Mahony - Munch with Music - 6 May 2026

Felix is studying for an under-graduate degree at Trinity Laban Conservatoire and started playing the piano at six.

The programme was:

Litzt - Harmonies du soir, from Transcendental Études

Mompou - Cançó i dansa No. 2

Bach - Prelude and Fugue in F minor, BWV 881

Liszt - Vallée d'Obermann, from Années de pèlerinage

A polished performance, filled with emotion and very well received. We hope that Felix will be able to return soon.

My apologies for this post being so late (again).

Spring Cleaning in June

It's not often an Archdeacon's Visitation Service comes around, so, as when visitors are coming round to visit, it's time to clean up, do the dusting and tidy up.

Being God's house a very large duster is required capable of reaching to the heavens. Noel was tasked with the East Window which, with an extendable pole, was at least possible.

Brass work is being polished, carpets hoovered, woodwork and stonework dusted, and all before the service in the church on 17 June 2026.

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